Friday Photoshare – In Hiding & a Look at Textures

byNatashalhonMarch 10, 2017

Hello and welcome to another Friday Photoshare! This week I’m sharing a recent self portrait, In Hiding, and taking a look at textures & what they can add to an image. If you’ve been wondering what all this ‘texture’ stuff is, then you should find this post interesting!

First, let’s take a look at this week’s image:

So often we use our fears as a mask or a shield to hide behind. We hold to fears in order to protect ourselves, and we make excuses to avoid labeling and confronting out fears. “Oh, I’m no good at sports,” we might say when what we really mean is “I’m afraid of not being good enough and looking foolish.” The subject (me) is peeping through a cluster of eucalyptus leaves, and eucalyptus branches litter the ground. Did you know that ‘eucalyptus’ derives from a Greek term that means “well covered?” Now you do! Additionally, eucalyptus is associated with being shielded and protected. Unfortunately, in the case of fear, this shielding is a disservice that keeps us in hiding from the world and our true selves. However, yellow is the image’s predominant color. Yellow is associated with creativity, happiness, optimism, and enlightenment. The eucalyptus branches in my hands are red, a color that can symbolize determination, energy, and action. The ultimate message is one of hope – determined action can help us release fear and live with creating and optimism.

Or, at least, that’s what the image means to me. =)

Now let’s talk about textures! I’ve posted several textures for free this year, and on Tuesday I announced The Artisan Life texture store launch. So what are textures, anyway, and what can they do for you?

Textures are popular in fine art photography, digital art, digital scrapbooking, graphic design, and, I’m sure, other areas of art and design. They can be used to add, well, texture, like a paper texture or the suggestion of fabric, depth, and even color toning. I love using textures to give photos a more “painterly” feel. In graphic design pieces, I frequently add a subtle texture to the background to give more depth and dimension. To show what this image looked like after editing/compositing but before final textures, I created a little video! All three textures I used in this image are available in the distress pack in the texture store. =)

If you’re interested in learning more about textures – stay tuned! I’m planning a video tutorial showing how to make your own layered textures.

Nature has always called to me - I love the smell of fresh dirt in my hands, the feel of salt air on my skin, and the sound of newly fallen leaves under foot.

I also love creating and dream of a simpler life filled with handmade items built to last, family meals around the table, and fewer electronic interruptions. The Artisan Life is where I combine my passions for crafting and the natural world to bring you tutorials, DIYs, and tips to help you create a more naturally-inspired life in our fast-paced modern world.

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